Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a strong performance to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to the series-clinching victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of the West Semis on Sunday.
In 36 minutes of action, Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 35 points, four assists, three rebounds, three steals, and a block. He shot 12-of-19 from the field, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line.
With the Thunder's lead too big for the Nuggets to overcome, Gilgeous-Alexander subbed out the game early in the fourth quarter. Safe to say the home crowd was excited to see this performance, as their star guard reflected on the immense support.
“It means a lot, specifically for this city… They’ve been behind us through good, through bad. It feels like no team in the league has home-court advantage like we do, and that’s all due to them,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on winning Game 7 at the Paycom Center:
“It means a lot, specifically for this city… They’ve been behind us through good, through bad. It feels like no team in the league has home-court advantage like we do, and that’s all due to them” pic.twitter.com/OWDUSuqkAa
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) May 18, 2025
What's next for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder





Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder did everything they needed to do to beat the Nuggets in Game 7 and advance to the next round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Five players scored in double-digits on Oklahoma City's behalf, including Gilgeous-Alexander. Jalen Williams had a solid display of 24 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and a steal. He shot 10-of-17 overall, including 2-of-5 from downtown. Chet Holmgren came next with 13 points and 11 rebounds, Alex Caruso put up 11 points and three rebounds, while Isaiah Hartenstein provided 10 points and seven rebounds.
As a result, they advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2016, when Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were the team's best players. They now have the opportunity to compete for a spot in the NBA Finals, a stage they haven't returned to since 2012.
The Thunder will prepare for their next series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have had a strong playoff run of their own. Game 1 will take place on May 20 at 8:30 p.m. ET.